Casting of metals



Dec. 10, 1935. G. WILLIAMS CASTING OF METALS Filed June 6, 1954 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec.i10, 1935. l wlLLlAMS v 2,023,562 l CASTING 0F METALSFiledJune'G, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE Eng land

Application June 6, 1934, Serial No. 729,166 In Great Britain June 9,1933 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the casting of metals andrefers particularly to the centrifugal casting of articles such ascylinder liner castings, piston-ring pots or any similar articles.

In casting such articles some form of end plate or ring must be securedagainst the end of the mould during the casting operation to retain themolten metal and must be subsequently removed to allow the casting to bewithdrawn. The effective mounting of this end ring is one of theproblems in centrifugal casting, and the object of my invention is toprovide an improved method of and means for centrifugal casting wherebythe usual difiiculties associated with the end ring are eliminated'and ahigh rate of output can be obtained with a minimum of labour.

According to my invention in a centrifugal casting machine the front endof the mould dur-v ing the casting operation is adapted to be partiallyclosed by an end ring capable of moving axially relative to the mouldand of swinging out of alignment with the end of the mould. During thecasting operation the end ring is drawn tightly against the end ofthemould to confine the molten metal and immediately the casting operationis completed the end ring is moved axially out of engagement with themould and swung up or down or to one side so that it does not interferein any way with the re'moval of the casting.

Resilient means are introduced between the end ring and its operatingmechanism to allow `for axial expansion of the mould.

The axial movement of the end ring is conveniently effected by anaxially movablemember which is in alignment with the axis of the mouldand to which the end ring is coupled by pivotedlinks, means beingprovided for bringing the ring into axial alignment with the end of themould as the ring is drawn against it and for releasing the ring toallow it to swing after it has-been moved away from the end of themould.

My invention isA applicable either -to a solid mould or to a mould whichis divided into parts capable of being forced or held together orseparated.

Where my invention is appliedto a divided mould the end ring may becontrolled by the same mechanism which opensY and closes the mouldparts, the mechanism, after a casting has been made, first displacingthe end ring and then opening the mould parts, and subsequently closingthe mould parts 'and replacing the end ring.

One practical Vform of my invention as applied to a solid mould isillustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mould and its mounting with the endring in place.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan.

Figure 3 is a front elevation and half-section.

Figure 4 is a side elevation in part section of the mounting andoperating mechanism.

Figure 5 is a sectional' elevation on a larger scale of the left handend of the mechanism 10 shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of one form of means for raising the endring into alignment with the end of the mould.

.In the drawings I is a mould suitable for the l5 centrifugal casting ofcylinder liner castings. Thel mould is detachably secured by bolts 2 tocarrier arms or brackets 3 projecting forwardly from a face-plate 4mounted on a rotatable horizontal shaft I5. The carrier arms areprovided 20 with substantial radial iianges 5 which not only stifien thearms but create a considerable wind-` age as they rotate and assist incooling the mould. The housing 6 in which the end ring 53 is heldagainst the outer end of the mould during the casting operation iscarried at each side of the mould by a rod 'I of which the rear endenters a bore in a bracket 8 and is keyed therein by a stud or pin. Thismounting permits longer or shorter rods 1 to be substituted for use with30 moulds of greater or less axial length.

The housing 6 may be xed to the rods 1 as shown, or may be pivotallymounted on the ends of the rods 'l.

Each bracket 8 is carried at the forward ends 35 of a pair of parallelrods 9 oi.' which the rear ends are secured in a bracket `Ill pivoted ona. horizontal radially extending pivot-pin II. The pin II in turn iscarried in a boss I2 secured between the ends of spaced transverseblade, leaf, or plate springs I3 carried by a collar I4 which is axiallymovable relative to the hollow shaft l5 of the face-plate as best shownin Figure 2. The springs I3 allow for slight axial move-- ment of theend ring 53 as the mould expands.

A yoke 54 which presses against the frontleaf spring prevents theresilience of the springs from operating during the forward movement ofthe end ring when it is being pushed away from the 50 end of the mould.

Positive location. of the end ring 53 in axial alignment with the end ofthe mould isensured by sloping grooves or keyways I6 inthebrackets 8which engage with the edges of complementary 55 guiding plates I1adjustably mounted on the carrier arms. f.

During the making of a casting the parts are in the positions shown inFigures 1 and 2, the end ring 53 being held tightly against the end ofthe mould while the whole is revolved, and the metal is poured into themould through the opening in the end ring 53.

mechanism described below and the end ring 53 is thereby moved axiallyaway from the end of the y mould until the brackets 8 clear the guideplates I1 whereupon the end ring swings down under gravity about thepins II as pivots, away from the end of the mould, so that the castingcan be readily ejected. The ring is then raised again into approximatealignment with the end` of the mould and the collar I4 is retracted todraw the ring against the end of the mould, the ring being accuratelycentered by the `guides` I1 as it approaches its final position. n

The weight of the pivotedassembly carrying the ring 53 may becounterbalanced by springs I8 connected between the rods 8 and theflanges 5 on the carrier arms.V

For ejecting the nished casting a plunger or piston I3 is locatedin therear end of the mould and is mounted on the Vf ront end of a centralvthe collar I4 is secured as shown in Figure 2.

Keyed on the shaft 24 at the rear beyond the end of the shaft I5 is ascrew member 25 co-operating with an internal thread in a sleeve 26 towhich is bolted a hand-wheel 21 mounted on a. bush 28 which is rotatableon the shaft I5. Thrust co1- lars 29 take the end thrust'between thebush and the shaft I5 and prevent axial movement of the sleeve 26 andhand-whee121 so that rotation of the hand-wheel 21 causes axial movementof the screw member 25 with the intermediate shaft 24 and hence of thecollar I4 and the end ring 53.

The hand of the thread of the screw member 25 and of the thread in thesleeve 26 is preferably such that as the rotating members are brought'tor rest by the brake the inertia of the parts tends to cause axialmovement of the shaft 24 to release the end ring and as the machine isstarted again through the shaft 24, and its rear end is rotatably 3|mounted in a bracket 32.

anchored in an externally screw-threaded sleeve 3U which is axiallymovable in a stationary sleeve A hand-wheel or capstan 33 is bolted to afurther sleeve 34 which is rotatable on the sleeve 3I but is heldagainst axial movement by thrust collars35. The rear end of the sleeve34 is keyedtoa nut member 36 engaging with the screw-threaded sleeve 30so that rotation of the hand-wheel or capstan 33 and sleeve `34 causesaxial movement of the sleeve 30 and hence of the rod 20 and ejector I9.rotatable coupling between the rod 20 andthe s1e'evef30 is formed by aball thrust bearing 31 and a spring 38 interposed between an internalWhen the casting has solidified the collar I4 is moved forwardly by theeffected by the same mechanism which operates Zthe end ring, thesequence of operations being so arrangedr that aftera casting has beenmade the TheV shoulder 39 in the sleeve and a washer 40 secured on areduced end of the spindle by lock-nuts 4I. The spring 38 allows forexpansion of the mould and its mounting. The rear end of the sleeve 30is closed by a cap 42 which4 presses against the 6 Washer 40 during theejection of the casting.

It will be understood that the mechanism illustrated and described abovefor operating the end ring and ejector is representative only, and thatrack and pinion or other mechanism may equally l0 well be employed.

' Where an end ring in accordance with my invention is `applied to adivided mould the opening and closing of the parts ofthe mould may beend ring is first moved away from the mould which is then opened, andafter the casting has been removed the' mould is closed and the end ringis re- 20 placed.

Any convenient mechanism may be employed for raising the end ring againinto approximate alignment with the end of the mould after a casting hasbeen removed. One convenient form 25 of mechanism is illustrated inFigure 6. In this casetheend ring is adapted to be raised by an arm k43projecting forwardly from the lower end of al yoke or U-piece 44 pivotedat45 on fixed supports. The upper end of one arm of the yoke 30 isconnected by a link 46 to an arm 41 keyed on a shaft 48 on which ismounted a pedal 48 so that depressionA of the pedal throws up the arm 43and raises the end ring into 'alignment with the end of the mould. Thelocation of the pedal 48 35 l is such that it can be operated by aworkman at the same time as the hand-wheel by which the axial'movementof the end ring is controlled.

Instead of allowing the en'd ring to fall by gravity 'at the end of itsaxial 'movement away 40 from the mould, almechanism may be employed toswing it upwards or sideways, and tobring it y back into positionpreparatory to drawing it back axially against the end of the mould.

If desired any convenient form of guard may 45 be arranged to surroundor partially surround the open end of the mould during casting. Asuitable form of guard is made of lsheet metal and is of horseshoeoutline and of channell section with the open face of the channeldirected inwardly, 50

thel guard ybeing supported by longitudinally extendingbars running onrollers at each side of the mould so that it can be readily moved intoits operative position during casting and moved out of the way whennecessary. 55

1. A machine for 'the centrifugal casting lof metals comprising a mould,acarrier for supporting said mould on a face plate mounted on arotatable shaft having its axis iny alignment with 00 that of the mould,a member movable axially on said shaft, laterally projecting resilientstrips mounted on said member. links extending along opposite sidesofthe mould and pivoted at'their rear ends on said`resilient strips, anend ring 65 carried at the front end of said links, and means for movingsaid axially movable member to draw said end ring against` the frontendof the mould and Vto move said end Dring away from the mouldand'permit it to swing on the links out of align- 70 l that of themould, a member movable axially on said shaft, laterally projectingresilient strips mounted on said member, links extending along oppositesides of the mould and plvoted at their rear ends on said resilientstrips, an end ring carried at the front end of said links, means formoving said axially movable member to draw said end ring against thefront end of the mould and to move said end ring away from the mould andpermit it to swing on the links out of alignment with the mould, andco-operating guiding means on the links and mould carrier for guidingsaid end ring as it approaches the mould, said guiding means beingdisengaged as the end ring is moved away from the mould.

3. A machine for the centrifugal casting of metals comprising a mould, acarrier for supporting said mould on a face plate mounted on a rotatablemain shaft having its axis in alignment with that of the mould, an endring for partially closing the front end of the mould during a castingoperation, an intermediate shaft fitting within and axially movable inthe main shaft, screw and nut mechanism for moving said intermediateshaft axially, a collar on the front end of said intermediate shaft, andresilient and pivoted means connecting said collar to the end ring whichis drawn against the front end of the mould when the intermediate shaftis moved in one direction and is moved away from the mould and permittedto swing out of alignment with the mould when the intermediate lshaft ismoved in the other direction.

4. A machine for the centrifugal casting of metals comprising a mold, acarrier for supporting said mould on a face-plate mounted on a rotatablemain shaft having its axis-in alignment with the mould, an end ring forpartially closing the front end of the mould during a casting operation,an intermediate shaft axially slidable in the main shaft, a resilientand pivotal connection between said end ring and said intermediateshaft, a central rod axially movable within said intermediate shaft, anejector arranged within the mould and mounted on the front end of saidrod, and means for moving said intermediate shaft and said rod axiallywithin said main shaft to move said end ring and ejector axially withrespect to said mould.

5. A machine for the centrifugal casting of metals comprising a mould, acarrier for supporting said mould on a face-plate mounted on a rotatablemain shaft having its axis in alignment with the mould, an end ring forpartially closing the front end of the mould during a casting operation,an intermediate shaft axially slidable in the main shaft, a resilientand pivotal connection between said end ring and said intermediateshaft, a central rod axially movable within said intermediate shaft, anejector arranged within the mould and mounted on the front end of saidrod, and screw and nut mechanism for moving said intermediate shaft andsaid rod axially within said main shaft to move said end ring andejector in one direction to move the end ring away from the mould andeject a casting and to move them in the other direction to retract theejector and draw the end ring against the end of the mould.

6. A machine for the centrifugal 'casting of metals comprising a mould,a carrier for supporting said mould on a rotatable shaft having its axisin alignment with that of the mould, a member movable axially on saidshaft, an end ring for partially closing the front end of the mouldduring a. casting operation, means connecting said axially movablemember to the ring for moving the ring towards and away from the end ofthe mould, a joint in said connecting means about which the ring canswing out of alignment with the mould when it is moved away from the endof the mould, and positive means for returning the end ring intoapproximate alignment with the end of the mould after a casting has beenwith drawn from the mould.

7. A machine for the centrifugal casting of metals comprisingv a mould,a carrierfor supporting said mould on a face-plate mounted on arotatable shaft having its axis in alignment with that of the mould,said carrier consisting of arms projecting from the face-plate andhaving radial flanges which create windage as the mould rotates andassist in cooling the mould, an end ring for partially closing the frontend of the mould during a casting' operation, a member movable axiallyon the rotatable shaft, a connection between the end ring and theaxially movable member for moving the end ring towards and away from themould, and a joint in the connection about which the end ring can swingout of alignment with the mould when it is moved away from the end ofthe mould.

GWILYM WILLIAMS.

